The Formation of the Conservation Caucus

In mid-2003, the “Conservation Caucus” was formed to participate in the Forests and Fish Report adaptive management process and other aspects of the Report's  implementation. The Caucus is composed of the Washington Environmental Council, Conservation Northwest (formerly Northwest Ecosystem Alliance), Washington Trout,  Pacific Rivers Council, The Mountaineers, and the Washington Forest Law Center.

The member groups of the Caucus have long-standing concerns about some of the Report's rules currently in place and support the incorporation of best available science as required by the Endangered Species Act and the Clean Water Act. Caucus members believe they can play a constructive and cooperative role in the adaptive management process to help improve these rules.

The Caucus’ representative on the Cooperative Monitoring Evaluation and Research Committee is Chris Mendoza of ARC Consultants. Chris has strong science credentials and field experience. He is a conservation biologist who has worked as a consultant on specific Forests and Fish adaptive management projects. 

The Caucus’ representative to the Forests and Fish Policy Committee is Miguel Perez-Gibson. Miguel brings a variety of experience and talents to this position. He is a forester, was previously-employed with the Department of Natural Resources at a management level, and has extensive political experience. 

The Caucus' Successes

To date, the Caucus has had a significant influence on the two major science studies that have come out of the adaptive management process: 

• The Perennial Stream Initiation Project 
• The Desired Future Condition Project